Symphonies 2 and 3 and cello concerto (cd)

Gramophone Magazine
September 2026
Editor's Choice

Raphael Wallfisch (cello), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Kenneth Woods

McCabe, J: Symphony No. 2
McCabe, J: Cello Concerto "Songline"
McCabe, J: Symphony No. 3 "Hommages"

This Signum release brings together three major orchestral works by British composer John McCabe (1939–2015), written between 1970 and 2007. Conducted by Kenneth Woods with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the program spotlights McCabe’s vibrant orchestral colors, rhythmic propulsion, and structural lucidity.

The album opens with Symphony No. 2, a tightly integrated, five-movement arc driven by sharp momentum and luminous textures. At the center is the Cello Concerto Songline, featuring cellist Raphael Wallfisch, which balances virtuosic leaps with tender, introspective lyricism. The program concludes with Symphony No. 3 ("Hommages"), a three-movement work that pays homage to Joseph Haydn and Carl Nielsen through subtle quotation and dynamic thematic transformations.

"This timely new collection will hopefully draw attention again to [McCabe's] sterling qualities as a composer. No praise can be too high for these splendid performances." — Gramophone Magazine, September 2026